


May You Find Hope Everlasting

by Severuslovesme



Category: The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-21
Updated: 2008-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 04:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1631531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severuslovesme/pseuds/Severuslovesme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Bod leaves Silas does his best to keep busy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	May You Find Hope Everlasting

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Liv for the quick beta!
> 
> Written for Femme

 

 

After Bod's departure from the graveyard, Silas traveled. He spent time restoring his home in Bulgaria, he attended to long-neglected duties of the Honour Guard and he visited the memorial stone he'd placed in Ms. Lupescu's hometown of Kandalaksha. 

It felt strange to be in a graveyard other than the one he'd called home for many years, but he owed it to his old friend and compatriot. He placed a small star chart that he had found among Bod's things against the stone, and quietly told her of the events of the previous year and the end of the Jacks-of-All-Trades. 

The days went quickly and Silas endeavored to keep them filled as much as possible with duty and tasks to be completed. 

One evening he awoke to realize that a year had passed since he and Bod had left the little graveyard on the hill. He had kept himself informed of Bod's whereabouts and activities through his network of acquaintances and colleagues, but had not seen his former charge in a year's time. 

It would be nice, he decided, to visit his former home and see how things were keeping there.

He was not expecting to see Bod, he reminded himself when he alighted next to the old chapel. Bod was, according to a source of his, currently working in South America and enjoying himself very much. 

Silas roamed the graveyard that night, pausing to speak to those he recognized. He spoke at some length to Mr. and Mrs. Owens, apprising them of Bod's adventures over the previous year. He left them in the growing dawn to return to the chapel and rest. 

**

It became his yearly routine, to return to the place that had once been his home for fifteen years. He would walk along the paths that he had once trod many times in search of his charge, and he would visit Mr. and Mrs. Owens with news of their boy. The trip grounded him and reenergized him for his work. 

In between these yearly sojourns he went about his tasks as a member of the Honour Guard. He righted some of the lingering wrongs committed by the Jacks-of-All-Trades and he guarded the borderlands. 

Occasionally his travels took him close to where Bod was at the time, but always he restrained himself from intruding into his former charges' life. 

One year, perhaps four years after Bod had left, Liza Hempstock cornered him, demanding news of her friend. Silas told her what he knew of Bod's adventures among the living, and he left her wearing a wistful look on her plain face. 

Silas thought of Bod often; he wondered how the boy liked Egypt, or Las Vegas, or wherever he was at that moment. Occasionally, when he came across some obscure piece of knowledge, he thought of how Bod's eyes might light up when he told him of it. 

**

This year, on this day, began as the others had. It was, if he remembered correctly, the tenth anniversary of Bod's departure out into the world. As he walked up the hill his mind was consumed with a problem in Alaska that would probably require his attention in the coming weeks. 

Silas slowed his approach when he noticed a huddled shadow sitting on the bench outside of the old chapel. 

Bod sat quietly on the bench, eyes flickering as he took in his surroundings. He looked up at Silas and smiled. 

"It's smaller than I remembered."

"Places that are...important to us often take on a heightened importance in our memory," said Silas slowly. He dropped onto the bench next to Bod. The boy looked as though his mind was far away. 

"Your parents are keeping well," Silas said. 

Bod's distant gaze sharpened then. "Good. That's good."

Silas nodded

"I spoke to them, earlier," Bod said. At Silas' raised eyebrow he continued, "Well, I talked, anyway. I told them what I've been doing since I saw them last. I think they were listening." 

"I'm sure they were," said Silas. 

They sat in silence then, the minutes stretching out between them as dusk darkened into true night. Silas looked up at the trees above them, and the glimpses of stars that could be seen. 

"You never sent for me." Silas could feel Bod's eyes searching his face, but he kept his gaze upturned to the sky. 

"No," he replied, simply. 

Bod said nothing. 

"I thought," Silas began, but trailed off. "I thought you needed time to discover what life was like out in the world. What living people were like." He clasped his hands together and looked at Bod. 

"I've enjoyed myself very much," Bod admitted. 

"I'm glad."

"But I've missed you. And my parents. But mostly you." 

Silas was silent and Bod, perhaps sensing his unease, turned the conversation to lighter matters. 

"I liked New York the best, I think." 

"I'm not surprised. There are quite a lot of people there."

"Yes," said Bod. 

"Italy was very beautiful. And I liked the beaches in Australia. You would have found it too sunny, I think."

"Indeed," Silas murmured.

"Once or twice I thought there might have been someone watching me, watching out for me. Were they friends of yours?"

Silas nodded. 

"I thought so. It was nice to know that you were still there to protect me if I needed you."

"I was your guardian for fifteen years...and it would seem I got quite in the habit of it."

Bod smiled at that but as he looked back at Silas his expression turned somber.

"Why did you never come yourself?" 

"I thought it best for you to form relationships with living people, without being hindered by your ties to the dead."

There was a long moment of silence. 

"Well," Bod said finally, "Now that I've formed relationships and had many adventures, perhaps I might have a say in the matter?" 

Silas blinked at his former charge, unsure as to when he had lost track of the conversation. 

"I've missed you Silas. I want to see you more than once every ten years." 

Silas stood fluidly, and turned to face Bod. 

"You know that I have responsibilities that keep me busy and often absent. You deserve to live your life without the encumbrance of a guardian who does not walk in the daylight."

Bod stood up too, and Silas resisted the urge to take a step backwards. The boy - young man, he corrected himself - was almost of a height with him. 

"What if I wanted more than a guardian?" 

"You are very young, Bod, and should - "

Bod cut him off with his mouth, kissing Silas deeply, his mouth insistent against Silas's own. He could feel Bod's heartbeat against his own motionless chest, and feel his breath warm against him.

Finally the young man drew away, and Silas, his voice uncharacteristically rough, said, "Let's go inside." 

Together they walked into the old chapel and out of the dark. 

 


End file.
